BLOOMINGTON - It soon may cost more to go to the Miller Park Zoo, have the garbage picked up or play a round of golf because the city of Bloomington needs to fill a projected $3 million budget gap.

"On everything we subsidize, the fees should be raised," Ward 7 Alderman Steven Purcell said.

The city's proposed general fund budget for the 2009 fiscal year, which starts May 1, is about $78 million. However, increases in fire and police pension costs, the projected loss for the U.S. Cellular Coliseum and a drop in sales tax revenue leaves the city about $3 million short of covering its expenses.

During a work session Tuesday, the Bloomington City Council learned the city can trim about $500,000 from the budget without a change in city services.

The council members seemed to agree they want to avoid cutting services and they want to look at increasing city fees. They looked at people who use certain city venues such as the zoo and the three city-owned golf courses.

Raising garbage fees also was discussed. Currently, residents pay $5 a month for a program that actually costs $21 a month.

Ward 5 Alderman Jim Finnegan said he was glad to hear aldermen were ready to consider increasing some revenues.

Finnegan and Ward 8 Alderman John Hanson said they are concerned Moody Investor Services and other such firms have said they intend to downgrade the city's credit rating if the council does not come up with a permanent financial solution to pay for the $29 million in bonds issued to build the Coliseum.

The credit rating issued by those firms determines the interest rate the city pays for bonds it issues to finance large projects and refinance existing bonds.

"That (letting the credit rating drop) would be a foolish decision on our part that would directly cost the taxpayers unnecessarily," Hanson said.

One idea offered by Ward 4 Alderman Judy Stearns was to sell Highland Park Golf Course, which loses about $225,000 a year.

Fees to play at Highland are $15 for adults and $5 for youths and seniors - the lowest fees of all three city-owned courses. Fees for The Den at Fox Creek, the most expensive city course, start at $28 for adults and $22 for youths and seniors.

City Manager Tom Hamilton said selling the course could produce some short-term cash, but he added having the ability to sell beer at Highland could generate about $175,000 a year at the course.

Discussion of the golf course and the proposed cuts to services generated a heated discussion between Hamilton and Purcell.

The council members agreed they were not interested in some cuts, such as closing the pool at O'Neil Park, which is in Purcell's ward. Other cuts could include eliminating the city's funding for the Challenger Learning Center and McLean County Museum of History.

Some travel costs and overtime to close traffic for special events such as parades also were proposed for cuts.

"These cuts seem to target certain groups, especially kids," Purcell said. "Where are the cuts that affect the old guys with money?"

Hamilton replied, "These cuts as we are proposing them are across the board and affect all walks of life, and a lot of kids play golf at Highland."